All posts by eHouse

eHouse One (RS-485)

eHouse RS-485 – Demo House – Comfort Installation 300m

The Intelligent House, Building Automation eHouse RS-485 can be controlled via Cloud eHouse Cloud .
This is another option besides direct access through eHouse for Java , Android (TCP / IP, UDP, SMS, eMail) and web browser.
One control method does not exclude another.

The following project is a comfort installation system (one controller per room) with full access from outside. eHouse RS-485 demo project was discussed in earlier posts:
The installation realizes the complete automation of the building ~ 300m2 (basement, ground floor, top floor) – in the comfort version.
The system is based on eHouse PRO server and eHouse RS-485 controllers for small switchboards (all inputs / outputs from single room goes to room switchboard).

“Working in the cloud” is the synchronization of system data with the Web server and MySQL database.

Advantages of Cloud:

  • Can work with any Internet connection without any restrictions
  • does not require public access Internet
  • Does not require a fixed IP address or DDNS service for the link
  • No complicated configuration of NAT Internet Router, sharing and redirection of Ports, Servers, DMZ, etc.
  • If you work on the web, it can be controlled from any device with a web browser

Disadvantages of Cloud:

  • Higher link load and data transfer
  • slower, refresh and delay than direct access (3 to tens of seconds of refresh)
  • depends on the stability of the WWW/MySQL server
  • loads the WWW/MySQL server and needs a large data transfer for each installation

To reduce disposing of the link and web server/MySQL, the refresh is set to 60 seconds when the client is not connected to the cloud. In case of connection and start up of the system command, the frequency increases (up to several dozen or so seconds) depending on the configuration.
Because it requires a web server, it is a paid service that depends on the amount of data transferred (transfer rate and refresh rate).

At: eHouse RS-485 + Cloud Building Automation is publicly available (without passwords) Centralized demonstration system installation. It is also an eHouse RS-485 under eHouse PRO Server test installation for BMS system integrators to test the system without eHouse hardware.

Examples of visualization of eHouse by the Web (SVG + JavaScript). Architectural (created with the help of CorelDraw with eHouse scripts) and generated automatically based on system configuration.
Because visualizations are in text files, it is easy to edit and change.

More information:
EHouse visualizations: Web visualizations – eHouse Building Automation
Creating visualizations: eHouse Building Automation

eHouse.PRO

eHouse PRO – Home Automation System Demo Example

The Intelligent House, Building Automation eHouse PRO can be controlled via Cloud eHouse Cloud .
This is another option besides direct access through eHouse for Java , Android (TCP / IP, UDP, SMS, eMail) and web browser.
One control method does not exclude another.

The following project is a centralized installation system with full access from outside. eHouse PRO demo project was discussed in earlier posts:
The installation realizes the complete automation of the building ~ 200m2 (ground floor, floor) – in the centralized version.
The system is based on eHouse PRO server for central switchboard (all inputs / outputs go to one main switchboard).

“Working in the cloud” is the synchronization of system data with the Web server and MySQL database.

Advantages of Cloud:

  • Can work with any Internet connection without any restrictions
  • does not require public access Internet
  • Does not require a fixed IP address or DDNS service for the link
  • No complicated configuration of NAT Internet Router, sharing and redirection of Ports, Servers, DMZ, etc.
  • If you work on the web, it can be controlled from any device with a web browser

Disadvantages of Cloud:

  • Higher link load and data transfer
  • slower, refresh and delay than direct access (3 to tens of seconds of refresh)
  • depends on the stability of the WWW/MySQL server
  • loads the WWW/MySQL server and needs a large data transfer for each installation

To reduce disposing of the link and web server/MySQL, the refresh is set to 60 seconds when the client is not connected to the cloud. In case of connection and start up of the system command, the frequency increases (up to several dozen or so seconds) depending on the configuration.
Because it requires a web server, it is a paid service that depends on the amount of data transferred (transfer rate and refresh rate).

At: eHouse PRO + Cloud Building Automation is publicly available (without passwords) Centralized demonstration system installation. It is also an eHouse PRO test installation for BMS system integrators to test the system without eHouse hardware.

Examples of visualization of eHouse by the Web (SVG + JavaScript). Architectural (created with the help of CorelDraw with eHouse scripts) and generated automatically based on system configuration.
Because visualizations are in text files, it is easy to edit and change.

More information:
EHouse visualizations: Web visualizations – eHouse Building Automation
Creating visualizations: eHouse Building Automation

Integration and Control

eHouse PRO, BMS – integration with MODBUS TCPIP protocol

eHouse BMS including eHouse PRO, eHouse HYBRID (LAN, RS-485, CAN, RF, WiFi) can be controlled from external systems. Control from Automation, BMS systems and software is available through the integrated Modbus TCPIP multi-theaded server supported by eHouse.PRO server software.
In addition, eHouse.PRO Server contains a Modbus TCPIP client which can control external systems supporting MODBUS TCPIP protocol.
It is also possible to control Modbus RTU (RS-485) devices if you install MODBUS TCP/RS-485 gateway.
Continue reading eHouse PRO, BMS – integration with MODBUS TCPIP protocol →

eHouse RFID

eHouse RFID – Access Control

eHouse PRO/BMS Building Automation System allows you to connect and support an access control system (proximity magnetic cards) – eHouse RFID.

Access control is managed from the eHouse.PRO server based on Linux along with the eHouse.PRO management software. Access control is divided into segments (floors) if the total number of readers is greater than 30 or there is such a need.

A single segment for the floor has:

  • Ethernet / RS-485 gateway
  • up to 64 proximity card readers connected in series on the RS-485 bus

Such infrastructure gives the possibility of handling very large objects: hotels, guest houses, offices with a total number of segments (floors) up to 250. This gives a natural division into separate floors/segments.

Server eHouse.PRO communicates with “eHouse RFID” segments via Ethernet (LAN) network with indirect access to all readers via Ethernet / RS-485 gateways.

Main features:

  • Central management from the eHouse.PRO server level. Authorization is checked when the card is used (online) so changes in the access system work immediately
  • Division of cards into functions (master / service, parental, room access)
  • Unlimited number of cards (master/service, room, parent)
  • Master cards (administrative/service) – any number of cards:
    * access for a single floor or all floors
    * access to all rooms or even or odd rooms
  • Alarm when forbidden cards is used (eg. stolen) – it is possible to immediately locate the thief using cameras or protection system
  • automatic addition of all cards and configuration by simply copying files
  • creating card usage logs (HTML)
  • Each floor can have up to 64 eHouseRFID card readers plus Ethernet-RS-485 gateway
  • Maximum (theoretical) number of floors/segments) 250 allowing the use of up to 250*64 = 16000 RFID readers in one building (building / building complex, etc.) without any restrictions on the number of cards used and their configuration.
  • The ability to create logs inside the readers and download them via the “eHouse.PRO” server

Configuration “eHouse RFID”.
all eHouse.PRO configuration files are located in the application directory “/usr/local/ehouse/”.
The file “eHouseServerC.cfg” contains the main configuration settings of the eHouse.PRO server. From the point of view of “eHouse RFID”, the settings described in the comments are important as:
1) 95 // Initial IP Address eHouse RFID gateway (LSB Ethernet-RS-485 gateway)
2) 1 // eHouse RFID Floor / Segments Count – Number of segments / access control floors
3) 0 // eHouse RFID Log Type (Log type 1 single file access.log / 0 files created daily)
4) 1 // eHouse RFID Reader Card Log Enable (creating logs in the card reader)

AD 1) Set the LSB IP address (for the lowest floor 0) in the ip class 192.168.ADRH.ADRL.
You should also remember to fit in the free IP range in consideration of the eHouse LAN (201..254), WiFi (100..199), Pro (200), gateway (1) and other fixed addresses and DHCP addresses.

Then close and re-open the eHouse.PRO application (or restart the eHouse.PRO server.
The eHouse RFID configuration is created in the “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID” directory. Due to the complicated configuration of RFID card readers and Ethernet/RS-485 gateways, we provide preconfigured RFID devices in accordance with the specification and demand.

  • number of floors / segments (No. 0..250) (IP addresses, IP gateway, IP mask). Configuration: “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/floors/GW-x.cfg”
  • reader configuration (1..64) for each floor

File: for the first (no. 0) Ethernet/rs-485 gateway “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/floors/GW-0.cfg” has the form:
192.168.0.95 // eHouse RFID Eth/RS-485 Gateway – IP Address (ip address)
192.168.0.1 // eHouse RFID Eth/RS-485 Gateway – IP Gateway (gateway)
255.255.255.0 // eHouse RFID/RS-485 Gateway – IP MASK (mask)
eHouseRFID-1 // eHouse RFID Host Name – the host name of netbios
5000 // eHouse RFID Port NR – tcp port for connecting a TCP client
passwd // eHouse RFID PASS – password for changing the configuration for the gateway and readers
192.168.0.200 // eHouse RFID Accepted Host for RFID Configuration GW – eHouse PRO SERVER
192.168.0.50 // eHouse RFID Accepted Host for Configuration RFID GW – other authorized addresses
192.168.0.10 // eHouse RFID Accepted Host for Configuration RFID GW – other authorized addresses
192.168.0.2 // eHouse RFID Accepted Host for Configuration RFID GW – other authorized addresses
00:04:a3:00:00:00 // eHouse RFID MAC Address
9600 // eHouse RFID UART SPEED (RS-485 speed)

Settings for RFID card readers are also taken from these files.

For every floor/segment created, a directory is created “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/readers/x/” where x is the number of the storey/segment (0..250).
In these directories, x.cfg files are created – for x = (1..64) for initiated readers (connected to the current Ethernet/RS-485 gateway).

The readers are initiated in the following way:

  • MASTER card creation:
    • apply the card to one connected reader (several times)
    • the file for the card will appear in the directory “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/notused/” with the name”%CardNo%.txt “
    • it should be copied to the directory”/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/masters/”- from that moment the card becomes an administrative card
    • in the file for the card “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/masters/xxx.txt” the permissions should be edited: the first field contains the floor number or:
      * – all,
      e – even,
      o – odd;
      the second field contains the room number or analogous global settings as above. For the convenience of card initialization, set parameters (* *)
  • Initialize all connected card readers with the card, checking if their number will appear in the directory “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/readers/x/”- where x is the gateway number (Ethernet/RS-485)

Create cards for rooms / readers:

  • put the selected card on the reader to which we intend to assign permissions and remember its number
  • move the file named card number “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/notused/x.txt” to the directory “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/cards/”

Creating “parental” cards:

  • Follow the steps for the standard card reader/room
  • edit the card file by entering the combination in the following lines
    ” No. floors’ “room number” + ENTER (separated by tabs)

Blocking cards in several ways:

  • To deactivate a card permanently you can remove it from the directory “/usr/local/ehouse/ RFID/cards/”
  • Set an alarm for the card by copying the file with the card number to the directory “/usr/local/ehouse/RFID/alarm/”

Logs for access control eHouse RFID are located under:
http://192.168.0.200/log/rfid/2016-06-11.html (the file name contains the date). The logs downloaded from the readers can be found at http://192.168.0.200/log/rfid/logs/0-1.html (where 0 is the number of the first floor and 1 room number), if the logging of the logs by the reader is enabled.